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From the Jewish Chronicle, and picked up by Loonwatch.

David J. Wasserstein, professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University penned an interesting and refreshing article that likely caused the heads of Islamophobes to explode, titled, So, What did the Muslims do for the Jews?

He argues that before the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, Judaism under the Byzantines was near extinction, and under Persian rule was endanger of being relegated to a cult.

Had Islam not come along, Jewry in the west would have declined to disappearance and Jewry in the east would have become just another oriental cult.

Wasserstein doesn’t fall into the trap of painting a too utopian, rosy picture of Jewish life under Muslim rule, but does highlight the fact that in many places Jewish life and culture flourished, (for example in Andalusia).

So, what did the Muslims do for the Jews
By David J Wasserstein, May 24, 2012

Islam saved Jewry. This is an unpopular, discomforting claim in the modern world. But it is a historical truth. The argument for it is double. First, in 570 CE, when the Prophet Mohammad was born, the Jews and Judaism were on the way to oblivion. And second, the coming of Islam saved them, providing a new context in which they not only survived, but flourished, laying foundations for subsequent Jewish cultural prosperity - also in Christendom - through the medieval period into the modern world.
..

Full article here:
http://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate ... ms-do-jews

Cheers,
Shafique

Should be simple enough to prove: the number of Jews in the West by 1900 should be far fewer than the Jewish population in Africa and Asia; otherwise it would be hard to argue Jews were in need of saving from non-Muslims.

Europe 8,977,581
Asia 352,340
Africa 372,659
Americas 1,553,656
Oceania 16,840
Europe, Americans and Oceania 10548077
Africa and Asia 724999

Seems the author's silly theory doesn't hold much weight; the Jewish population was not only far from extinction in the West but it was 15 times greater than the Jewish population in Africa and Asia.

Shade wrote:Should be simple enough to prove

Yes, I agree. The evidence is in his article. Did you read it? Play close attention to the dates etc.

You may want to re-read the bit in the quote above which says:

laying foundations for subsequent Jewish cultural prosperity - also in Christendom - through the medieval period into the modern world.

As loonwatch pointed out, the article and the clear conclusion of Prof Wasserstein:

likely caused the heads of Islamophobes to explode

In this case it seems to have caused a major breakdown in comprehension.


However, you should share the joy - please let the Professor of Jewish Studies know why you think his conclusions are silly and what you are basing this on. He would welcome the laugh, as I did.

Cheers,
Shafique

I see, the foundations the Muslims laid down in Europe allowing the Jewish population to flourish weren't apparently laid in the Muslim world.

How do you work that logic out?

That's quite the chutzpah.

What were these foundations; how were they laid; and why were these foundations deepest in countries with no connection to Islam or contact from Muslims?

I'm glad you're having a laugh; psychologists say laughter is a defense mechanism to anxiety. Laughter is a great response to the anxiety these silly articles believed by you cause when tested against logic.

Hi EH Couldn't stay away for long now could you.

(I forgot to add in my first reply above - I've gotcha, and am reeling you in. Hook, line and sinker. )

I'm glad you're glad I'm laughing. I'm laughing even more at the armchair diagnosis of my laughing.

Jewish Professor of Jewish Studies 1, Factophobe 0.

Here, read the opening line:

Islam saved Jewry. This is an unpopular, discomforting claim in the modern world. But it is a historical truth.

Facts rarely agree with Islamophobic views.

(DDS - is it eh, or is it an alias trying to post as eh? Failure is the same though. )

Cheers,
Shafique

Could be EH. Sounds more like him than BM.

Ironic after being on a troll safari for so many years you can't make out eh hiding behind some bushes. Posting style is classic EH

^I'm still not sure whether it is eh trying to not post like eh, or another MSG trying to post like eh. I agree it could be the young one returned.

However, the failure when it comes to statistics to back up Islamophobic myths is a common trait so can't tell them apart on this point alone.

Cheers,
Shafique